Courageous Love - Jerry Cole Page 0,32

she loved.

“The only land he can’t touch is the graveyard, it’s protected or whatever, but how many people are going to want to hold a service next to a loud and messy factory?” Rosidae asked. “The whole place will fade away.”

My heart stopped thinking of Cecil. He wouldn’t leave. Even if the whole town were gone, he would still have to watch over his graveyard. And after so long being cast out, people were finally warming up to him in the streets. People waved hello, the kids all loved him, he had a place he belonged. All of that lost because my dad wanted to control me.

“What am I supposed to do?” I asked, my voice weak.

The twins looked at each other, maybe telepathically communicating.

Finally Rosidae spoke. “Figure it out.”

“What?” My voice squeaked.

“If we tell him we don’t want you to be part of the company he will only lash out at us too. If he’s willing to destroy a town for you, we aren’t willing to risk it.” Isaac shrugged.

“It’s up to you, little accident,” Rosidae said sweetly. “We are rooting for you this time.”

That did nothing to help my confidence.

“But here,” Isaac pulled another cell phone from his pocket and shoved it into my hands. “We got you this so we can tell you what Dad’s planning or if we find out anything that could be helpful.”

“Don’t say we never did anything for you,” Rosidae reached out and gave me three stiff pats on the arm.

“We better go before he notices we left the city,” Isaac said glancing at the time on his phone.

“Bye Adam,” Rosidae sang.

“Don’t mess this up,” Isaac sang too.

Then they were gone.

I clutched the smartphone in my hand and felt my whole body still shaking. I wasn’t sure if it was from anger or sorrow. Maybe it was a whole new emotion. I couldn’t stand it.

Chapter Seventeen

The sound of the door closing behind me felt like it echoed through the soles of my feet and through my whole body.

“Adam?” Cecil called from the kitchen.

“Yes?” I tried to lift my voice as I walked to him. It was hard with how heavy everything was weighing on me.

“You were gone for a while, I almost chopped everything.” He grinned. He hadn’t picked up on my mood. Good. I didn’t want him to know yet. I didn’t want to ruin his evening. I didn’t want to ruin his life either.

“The earring fell behind the cabinet,” I lied smoothly. “It was a bitch to fish it out but I got it.” I showed off the stud replaced in my ear.

“Well I’m glad you’re back.”

“Did you miss me?” It was so easy to slip into being a caring boyfriend. I wanted that to be all I had to think about.

His face turned red. It was always so stark against his pale skin. I was planning on taking him outside more when spring came around but now…

“I did miss you. Is that lame?”

I rushed over to him and, from behind, put my arms around his waist as I rested my head on his shoulder. Just touching him calmed me down some. “It’s not,” I said a little too forcefully.

I was going to miss this.

***

Dinner was great as always. I had to come up with a good excuse to head to Stacy’s room without Cecil following, but he was so understanding that I didn’t have to really make a big deal about it.

“What do you want Adam?” Stacy asked as I opened her door. She was setting up an elaborate computer display and was holding ten different types of wires. It just made me feel worse. Stacy was happy here too. She was already setting up for a new life here and I was going to ruin it.

“Stacy. I have to leave.”

She dropped the wires on the ground. “What?”

I explained everything Isaac and Rosidae told me. There was even a copy of the email loaded onto the phone Isaac gave me. As Stacy read it her hand slowly covered her mouth in horror.

“Your father is planning to go through with this?” Her eyes rapidly looked back and forth from the phone and to me.

I nodded. “He wouldn’t have sent out a companywide email if he weren’t serious. You know how he hates to be proven wrong.”

“He and your mom were always kind to me. Sure he hated being wrong, but this feels so extreme.”

“It’s because we aren’t under his grasp anymore Stacy. Before with his money he had control over both